Crate



R. J. BYERS Dec 12 1950 CRATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1947 Dec.12, 1950 R. J. BYERS 2,533,663

I CRATE Filed July 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 640% J Bram Patented Dec.12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims. 1

This invention relates lack strength and rigidity since none of thesides I would be interlocked in any way with each other orwwith theends. While some of the known types of crates are provided with memberswhich interlock to give the crate rigidity, it has been.

my experience that the type of interlocking employed requires the crateto be assembled in a sequence of steps which are unnecessarilytimeconsuming.

Furthermore, I have found known types of interlockin'g to be deficient,particularly in those,

crates where thecrate sides are offset from each other, in'maintainingthe sides self-centered and compensate for irregularities in thedimensions of members in contact with each other. the types of wood usedto make packing crates are quitepractical for the purpose, it isevident, that a packing crate. is hardly a finished article of cabinetwork. Consequently, preformed blanks.

may vary in dimensions and a satisfactory type of interlock shouldafford compensation for this variation.

, With the foregoing in mind, I have invented a, crate which can bequickly assembled from preformed blanks, and which, when assembled, is

to a crate construction. and more particularly to a crate constructionWhile,

in allowing variation in the amount of ofiset to .j'

satisfactorily strong and rigid. In fact, my crate i particularlyadapted for production line work' where articles are to be quicklycrated and dis patched for shipment. In accordance with the teaching ofmy invention, preformed blanks can be, assembled at chosen locationsalong a conveyer line. With such an assembly line, ar ticles to becrated can be secured, say at one and the opposite ends of the cratewhich, of

course, can be the top and bottom of the crate, are both secured ininterlocking relationship with the offset sides. I employ a type ofinterlock between adjacent sides of the crate which provides firmlateral support by means of the cleats thereof. Unlike many structuresof this type, the side cleats have vertical end surfaces in interlockedabutment, thus providing unusually great resistance to the collapse ofthe sides inwardly, or sidewise shiftingthereof. This feature is ofparticular advantage in the central portion of the sides wherethelateral support furnished by the top and bottom of the crate isrelatively ineffective, and the intermediate cleats which are mutuallysupported furnish strong resistance to collapsing forces on the sides.Likewise, my interlock provides strong resistance to relative shearingforces on the sides of the crate, as would occur in lifting upwardly onthe raised pair of opposed sides on structures of this type. Theinterlock further tends to maintain each side firmly self-centered andyet is adapted to allow for variation in the'dimensions of mem bers ofindividual sides of the crate to some extent. In order to furtherfacilitate rapid setting up of the crate, I form the crate sides assections of a wire-bound mat which can be quickly folded to set up thecrate sides. Often with this type of construction, the side cleats haveof necessity beenrelatively narrow, due to the fact that the sides wereoffset the entire width of the cleats. In my construction the cleats maybe relatively much wider, thus providing a much more rugged and durablecrate.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a crate suitablefor the shipment of heavy articles such as stoves, motors, etc., whichcan be completely assembled in a short space of time and which is,nevertheless, sufficiently strong and rigid for the purpose intended.

It is another object of my invention to provide such a shipping cratewhich is especially adapted for crating articles on a production linebasis in that preformed crate sections can be located in such a mannerthat rapid assemblage of the crate can be accomplished by following apredetermined sequence of steps.

It is still another object of my invention to provide such a shippingcrate in which the crate sides are interlocked with each other and withboth of the crate ends.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a shipping cratein which the crate sides are interlocked with each other by interlockingmembers which tend to center said sides and 3 which maintain adjacentsides ofiset from each other.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide such a shippingcrate in which the crate sides are interlocked with each other byinterlocking members which maintain adjacent sides of the crate offsetfrom each other but which permit slightwariations in the 'amount ofsuch' offset to compensate for-"dimensional irregularities in themembers in contact with each other.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a shipping cratein which the crate sides,

are formed by folding a wirebound mat or blank into set up position,said mat including rn'e-mbers which interlock to resiststrongly"botlflat' eral collapsing forces and vertical shearing forcesexerted on the sides.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a shipping crate inwhich the crate sides e t we y leie e Wi ee et 9 bl ck into set upposition wherein the amount of offset of adja'cent sides does not limit"the width or the interlocking side cleats:

' These and other" ob jects and advantages of my"irivention will'becoinei pparefit from the followingdetailed'des'c tion with I ttacheddrawings'in which:- 7 Figure {1 illustratestalic manner of crating'areas; for saipaiem; in sees-mascawith the teachingf mydfiveirtionfFigure?isan'explodd isometric view of-a crate' cons t ructionaccordancewith the teachin'g o f inverfitio Figure is' an---elevatiorial*view; broken away" in"part;0f-"t l1"efold'able wire bound mat or blankwhich forms; the; crate si'des, sai'd'matbeing shown as 1am 'ou't flatiI Figure 4 1s aview'similar tothatoffFigure 3, but after he crate sideshave been ofise't; alter-- natelj'pi paratoryf to folding o'f the" ma tfv Figure-dis a plan View of the'b'ottom of'the crate; i: below;

Figure 8*isaviewdobking front-h e insi'izle'o f the toward a: corner"thereof and shows" members oi adjacent sides of the cratepartiallyinterlocked according to m invention.

member- H? to which the article being shipped" is securely fastened. r p

The -'crat e*bottom" 1 Dis of substantial strength, such} strengthbeingsecured by positioning rela tively sturdy slats i! crosswise withrespect to relatively sturdy cleats i2. A'scan be' observed" hammers-2of the-drawings;- the ends of slats l cleats-1| Z'f' and aresubstantially flush with-theouter-most"'edge's'of the cl'eats'l2":S1at'sf H and cleats 12 are secured together" in a suit oritaken inconjurieiylooking upward at -the crate from ig'u're 6;{ is; sectionalview takenf on me able manner, as by nails. While the ends of slats Hare substantially flush with the outermost edges of cleats i2, the endsof the cleats extend beyond the outermost edges of the slats II and thisarrangement is provided for a purpose that will be further explainedlater in this specification.

Aplurahty" of substantially vertical si'desl3, l i', i5 and iiiare"supportedby and" attached to the crate bottom 6'8. As can beobserved from Figures 2 and 3 cf the drawings, each of thesecratesidesconsists of cleats extending lengthwise of the side, these cleats beingsubstantially horizeatarm the"crate shown in the drawings,

' and 'slatsfsecure'd tosaid cleats in a suitable manner'; suchas bybei'ng stapled thereto. For example} thercrate-side l3 includeshorizontal top and bottom cleats H and i3 and an intermediate'horizontalcleat is positioned midway between said topand bottom cleats. Aplurality of uprig-htsla'ts 2d are attached' t'o said henmater cleats;the ends of said slats being? sub-' stantially fiush with the upp'ersurfa'c of the top cleat H and the lower surface of thebots cent crateside l6 includesfhoifizontal top-and? bottom cleats s 21 and 22 and? a--horizontal 2- cleat ZB pos'itioned midway between said: top3'and-b'otjtom cleats. A pair of substantially upr-ig'hti slats; 2%" and apair'oi' diagonal bracing slats 2'5 ar I attached to 'said horizontalcleatsi: The? endsof the slats- 2d and- 2 5 are substantially flush withthe up ered e oi: top cleat 2 l:- and the lower edgeof bottom cleat 22;respectively; use of diagonal br-ac'i'n'g sia" instea'd of -havihg; all?of the upright slats vertica'l-;-, is of course; 0 tio'nal, but'it ispreferableto employ s'uch' 'di'a onal slats wheir'th'e crate sides are'ofsubstanw tiallengtn Asis illustrated in. Figure: 2v of tl'fci side"i5 is identical to crate side |s=,:= and crate? side Hi isfidentical tocrate side 3, no: detailed:

' description of-the' cratesidsl1i and l-E'is demcti necessary;

lhefcrate top 2 6E c'onsists ofz ai= plurality of rel tively sturdycleats 21' which are secured cross-wise" relationship to a plurality ofslats 2 As can bcob'served from l igiure zofthe'draiwingsrthe'endsofthe'cleatsiifl project beyondthe cuten'iost'laterafe'dgesof"the 'cle'atsifll Since I' "ave I illustrated atype of crate which is to be? I employ 'slat s in -thetop which are lesssturdy than" slats ll of the" crateb'ottorni' In othe'fi words; thecrate top does not: have to carry the Weight Of theatre-1e: belilg sliippedi a'n'd' ft)? tlfl 5 reason; need n'o't be n'i'a'de as sturdy as theGrate? Frorn arfobs'ervation of Figiii-eZ' of th di'aitli irig's,- itis-se'en that adjacent sids 'ofthelcfa e: are alternately" offset" fromeach other vertically raised with respect to crate sides l4 a to" put itanother way, 'cratsides l4 and f6 ap pear to be lowel' ed 'with respect'to'ciat" l 3 and t 51y This positioning of" the assesses is achiev'ediri-the follo ine mannerl I I Each' ci'ate s-ide 'isi at leastinitially' a section? of a wire-bound mat or blank designated generallyby the numeral 29 in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings: When the mat 29 islaid out flat, the individual crate sides are positioned in longitudinalalignment with their longitudinally extending cleats also inlongitudinal alignment. The crate sides are foldably secured together bya plurality-offiexible wire binders 30, 3| and 32 which are attachedto'the outer surfaces of the sides by means such as staples 33. As canbe observed from Figure 2 of the drawings, the wire binders extend alongthe outer side surfaces opposite the horizontal cleats of each side. Forexample, for side I3, wire binder 30 is opposite cleat i'l, wirebinder3| is opposite'cleat I9 and wire binder 32 isopposite cleat I8.

Each of the horizontally extending side cleats has itsends notched toform a centrally positioned generally rectangular recess at each end ofthe cleat and opening laterally thereof. When the wire-bound mat 23 islaid out flat as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, these recesses arepositioned in directly opposing relation. Notice, for example, recesses34 and 35 shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. When it is desired to setup wire-bound mat 29-, adjacent sections of this mat, i. e., the cratesides, are offset alternately from each other to move the formerlyopposing grooves out of alignment. After this is accomplished, the

mat 29 can be readily folded to set up the crate sides.

As this folding takes place, the cleat ends interiock'by virtue of thelateral and end opening of the cleat end recesses to hold the cleatsides in final offset relationship. Reference to Figure 8 of thedrawings. willillustrate how this takes place. The cleat recesses thereshown are the recesses 34 and 35 shown in Figures 3 and 4 of thedrawings. As is further shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, recess 34 hasmoved vertically downward from cleat recess 35. When mat 29 is folded,an upper projecting cleat end portion ottongue 36 engages in the opposedcleat recess 35 and a lowerprojecting cleat end portion or'jtongue 31engages inits opposed cleat recess 34 to form a slidable pivot for cratesides I4and I5. The recesses 34 and 35 are preferably of somewhatgreater height than tongues 35 and 31 so that the amount of offsetbetween crate sides I4 and I5 can be varied slightly, if required, tocompensate for irregularities in the dimensions of the members of thesides of the crate. Furthermore, since the ends of the cleats aresimilarly shaped, when they interlock with each other they will tend tocenter the sides. This will also be readily apparent from Figures 3,4and 8 of the drawings.

Again referring to Figure 8 of the drawings, it will be observed thatcleat 38 has a lower tongue 39 of approximately the same size as uppertongue 36 thereof, each tongue having a height or width somewhat lessthan one-third of the width of the body portion 40 of the cleat.Similarly, cleat 4| has an upper tongue 42 of approximately the samesize as the other tongues and somewhat less than one-third the width ofbody portion 43 of cleat 4|. Depending upon the tightness of theassembly, upper tongue 36 of cleat 38 and lower tongue 31 of cleat 4|may or may not abut the ends of the recesses 35 and 34 respectively. Inany event, the amount of space between these parts will be sufficientlysmall so that, should the crate sides tend to shift laterally inward,the tongues would readily engage the ends of their respective recessesto-prevent furtherrelative 6 shifting. This relation between adjacentinterlocking ends will be termed in horizontal interlocking proximity.This interlocking is particularly valuable in the intermediate portionof the sides where the top and bottom have little lateral influence, andthe intermediate horizontal cleats, as for examplecleat 23, will resistany inward pressure centrally of side I6 (Figure 2) due to.

the support by the end of cleat I9 of side I3 and the end of thecorresponding cleat of side I5. Likewise, the height of recesses 34 and35 is preferably only slightly greater than the height -of tongues 3'1and 35 so that after a small amount of relative vertical shifting ineither direction, one or two of thesurfaces of the recesses and tongueswould readily engage to preventfurt-her relative shifting. The ends ofinterlocking cleats are thus in vertical interlocking proximity also.Forexample, if side I4 shifted downwardly with respect to side I5, theupper surface of recess 34 would engage the lower surface of recess 35and further shearing of sides I4 and I5 would be strongly resisted. Sucha shearing force might be created in lifting the crate by grasping sidesI3 and I5. As seen in Figures 4 and 8 in the illustrated embodiment, thesides I4 and I5, for example, need be offset less than one-third theheight of the body portions of the cleats before interlocking can beaccomplished, and by modification of the size or position of therecesses, any desired size cleat could be used. Thus the cleats can besubstantially Wider, and the width of the cleats is not limited by thedistance the sides are to be offset.

, offset of the crate sides shown in Figure 4 of the,

- The flexible wire binders 30, 3| and 32 aresufficiently flexible topermit the amount of initial as shown in Figure 4 0f the drawings, theflexible binders are angled at each line of offset. This causes theflexible binders to extend at an angle to the horizontal at the cornersof the crate as is indicated at 45 in Figure 2 of the drawings. When theflexible binders are tightened to secure the crate sides together, thesebinders will pull up on the depressed sides to lock said sides againstdownward movement. As has been previously described, tongue 31 on cleat4| of crate side I5 interlocks with recess 34 of cleat 38 of crate sideI4, and similarly, tongue 36 interlocks with recess '35. Since crateside I4 is a depressed side, the flexible binders 30, 3| and 32 urgesaid side upward with the result that this side is firmly locked againstvertical movement by these binders and by the tongues of cleats of thesides adjacent thereto, as well as by the tongues of side I4 and thetongues of the adjacent sides. The same is true of the other depressedside I6. For, the. raised crate sides I3 and I5, the wire binders 30, 3|and 32 urge these sides downward with the tongues of cleats thereofbearing downward against the tongues of cleats of the depressed sides.Hence, the raised sides are likewise doubly locked against verticalshifting.

After the crate sides have been set up in the manner just described, thecrate top 26 is placed in position with the ends of cleats 21 restingupon the upper surfaces of the top cleats 38 and 2| of cleat sides I4and Hi. The thickness of these cleats 21 is such that, so positioned,they, will ale low the top-slirfacesi was za-sm restfiushwitki the uppersurfaces of the top cleats: 38- and 1 2.4-

of-cleat sides lllfxand I16 with" slats '2 8:: abuttingithelateral-surfacesaofcle'ats: I'Tan'd 4'1 Thus; since the-outermostlateral surfaces of outer cleats 2-9 abut: inner lateral surfaces ofcleats l1. and; 41;.

cleats-: I1 and fl." Th us:- positioned-,;the crate top zi 'is i-nailed'in: place: From this it can beaseen thatthecrate top is effectivelyinterlockedwith the 'craite sides.

T oriiplete the c'rate'; the assembledsides and top are' placed inposition on the? crate-bottomed that the cor-responding; bottom cleats IB and 4% of the crate sides 13 and? [5: rest uponthe pro jecting endportions of crate bottom cleats I2. When -the'bottom cleats i=3 a'nd lfiof: crate sides I3 and I5 are 50 positioned; the corresponding:bottcmzdeatsn' and 22 f? crate sides [4 and I6 wiil lie substantiallyagainst the outermost sides of the crate bottom: cleats I25v Thethickness of cleats l2 is illustrat'edas being'somewhatgreater' than-theamount of ofiset between adjacent sides; Thhspasbestseen in Figures and7, the cleats I? will' project beneath the: completely assembled crate:and serve-' as runners-,lby" virtue of which tfie crate' may beeasilyslid over smooth surfacesiii handling If the/cleats 12 were flush; therewou d" be a:- danger-that the ends of side: slats wows contact thesurface and produce undesii able friction" there'awitl i as well as adanger of injury to the slats, particularly since, in-practice; theindividual side sla t" end-s often? rojectconsiderably beneath thebottom" side cleats; The elevation 01 slats H of course;v facilitateshari diing of the crate. Figur'e'i5 shows the crate'bot tom cleat's' I 2in lateral contac't withithe bottom the: entire length of said: cleats:Also; it can beed that the crate bottom cleats 26 extend. lithe bottomcl'eats l aian'd 4 5 01" cratel'side's 1 l5; cratabottom slats H lare-posh tinned so 'that there'is' a slat I l iii lateral contact witha? bottom cleat of each oi the: crate sides l3 and I5} said lateralcontactbeing: throughout substantiall the entire" length of said cleats.The amount by Wlii the ends 01 i bottom cleats [1 project beyond:theoutermostbottom cleats H is; substantially equal to thewidth ofthe/bottom cleats I8 and of: crate sides" [Sand l5: so that these bottomcleats" are funy supportea'by the crate bottom cleats I Asindicated inFigures 5' an 7; the crate bottom cleat may be secured tiybottomclefatsf H3 and 46:- ot c'r'at'e" sides [3 and by anysilitable means,safer-example; nailsNL Figure 6 of the-drawings discloses the:relationsnip-between the crate bottom cleats and the bot? tom olea tsoltheerate sides in detaih As shown there; crate bottom oleat' [2" extendsunder crate liottoin slat H- and beyorid" this slat an amount equal tothe width of the" bottom oleat [B of crate sid I Hence, this bottonicleat of'the" crate is siiug'ly'positibned one ledge havin asresurfacesthe" side SU'I faCe AB O'f slat I I an'd the top surface to or cleat ac.'l h'e'se' surfaces are identified in Figur'e 2 of the" drawings: andthere is a similar ledge formation ad jace nt each cor ner of-theratebottom;

e '1 of the drawings illustrates in: detail al contactl'etween thecrate? bottom and the bottom cleats er and: 22 oi crate" sid'sf M andiii". Ascan be observed from its lower surface 50 ofiset upwardly from.the. lower surface 5|-of cratecbottomcleat IL. The; side: surface 5% ofcleatfl is abutted against -the: side surface of cleat l2- and is alsoabutted'} against the-end-surface 54--of slat I ll This an rangementprovidesa firm mechanical interlock between thecrate bottomand the acrate sidesa Lateral shifting: of the cratebotton iv in any di-..

reaction isresistecthy. the bottom cleats of the crate sidessince,: atsubstantially every point around theperipher of the crate bottom,,.thereis abottom cleat of a crate side incontact therewith, substantially inthe same-"manner as withthe topcrate.-

admirably to expeditious crating-of articlesffor shipment. Crate top-s,bottoms and sidemats can be preiormed" and? placed" on location prior--to use. Generally, the crate bottoms will be piled at one locationandthe side mats and crate tops assembled' to" form hoods that arepositioned at another location alonga conveyor assembly line.-Thisenables the packers to mountthe articlesit'o beshipped on the cratebotwms, attach them thereto,. and let the at;- tachedarticle and cratebottom move forward to the next location where the sides and top.

which have been assembled as'a hood, which is V lowered over thearticle, and connected to the crate bottom;

Figure 1' of the drawings illustrates such asequence of. operations. Aconveyor 55 is. illils trated; having a platform 56 and a plurality ofconveyor rollers 51. The crate bottoms, with the articles being cratedsecured thereon; are pushed along" the roller'sl'fl to tnelocation wherethecratin'g'is completed. Figure I shows am'otortil'secured'by'bolts'59t'o'the crate bottom Hli Asthe motor reacnestne location shown the righthandportion of Figure 1, the pre-assemibledcrate'sides and top arelowered, as a hood; over the'motor'; As" the cratesides andtop" arelowered; the packer'is enabled to properly cen ter' the sides and topbecause the lower" edges of the" bottom cleats" 4*! and 22' ofcrates'id'es f6 and lGu-each' the crate bottom Win-advance of tnelowercleats it and 4'6 of'crat'e sides [3 and 5 5*. The" lower edges ofbotto-m'cleats 4'? and 22 are-thus lea-ding edges while lower edges ofbot-- tom cleats l8 and" 46' aretrailing edges. Thus being able" toutilize these" leading edges for guiding action; the packer can veryeasil center crate sidesand top"- and quickly bring the bottom" cleats!8 and 4'6 of crate sides l3 and [5 into position on the ledge surfacesadiacent'each corner of the crate bottom; Once the crate sides and topare in position with respect to the crate botto1n,.the crate sidescan benailed to the crate bottom. Thereafter, it desired,v the wire binderscan" be given a final tighteningand the ci=ated" article pushed fartheralong the conveyerline. a A" sequenceof operations performed as abovedescribedlminimilzes the time required to effect crating of?relativelyheavy. article's; With the crate sides and top setup asa'hood', this hood can be quickly placed overthe article and thepro-vision ofleading. edges for guiding thehood into properlycenteredposition prevents mis a-l-ignment' such as: might cause one edgeof the hood togo down" between the conveyor rollers. Fnrthermore, thehoodcould be turned end:- for end prior to being. lowered over thearticle and this' will make no diiTerence since opposite sides of -theorate2are identical.

The above described construction lends itself These advantages aresecured by constructing component parts of the crate in accordance .withthe teachings of my invention. Obviously, certain modifications can bemade without departing from the spirit of my invention. Instead ofemploying rectangular recesses and rectangular tongues, as shown inFigure 8, the tongues could be modified to-have a tapered cross sectionof gradually diminishing height along the length thereof as the ends ofthe cleats are approached. Such a structure wouldbe slightly easier toassemble in interlocked relation, but might have somewhat less strengthand rigidity than the structure of Figure 8. Since the rectangularrecesses have a somewhat greater height than the interlocking tongues, ataper is unnecessary for satisfactory rapid assembly and forcompensation for irregularities of dimensions of the sides.

Accordingly, while I have shown and described an' embodiment of myinvention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intendto berestricted solely thereto but that I intend to cover all modificationsthereof which will be readil apparent to one skilled in the art andwhich come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wire-bound shipping crate comprising a plurality of sidesalternately vertically offset from each other to provide opposite pairsof raised and lowered crate sides, each of said sides having top andbottom cleats extending substantially the length of said side and eachflush with the end of its respective side, and each of said cleatshaving a recess centrally of each cleat end to provide tongue portionsadjacent said recess, the tongues of cleats of the lowered sides of saidcrate being positioned below the tongues of cleats of raised sides ofsaid crate to maintain the re spective sides offset from each other andprevent vertical shifting, at least one of said tongues hav- I ingsurfaces thereof in contact with surfaces of a recess throughout atleast a portion of said surfaces to prevent said sides from shiftingsideways, wire binders attached to and surrounding the crate sides, acrate bottom and a crate top having ledge surfaces provided adjacentopposite ends thereof, said ledge surfaces being in contact with thebottom cleats of the raised crate sides and top cleats of the loweredcrate sides, respectively, to prevent horizontal shifting thereof.

2. A shipping container com rising a plurality of sides each including aplurality of cleats extending lengthwise of the side and eachfiush withthe end of its respective side, and each of said cleats havingvertically spaced tongues at each end thereof, and at least onelaterally opening recess defined between the tongues at each end of saidcleats, the tongues of cleats of adjacent sides of said container beingin lateral contact with each other throughout at least a portion of thesurfaces thereof to maintain said adjacent sides of said containervertically oifset from each other, wire binders attached to andsurrounding said container sides, and oppositely disposed container endsattached to said container sides.

3. A shipping container comprising a plurality of alternately offsetsides surrounded by flexible binders, each of said sides includinglongitudinally extending cleats and each flush with the end of itsrespective side, and each of said cleats having central recesses at theends thereof, and pairs of tongues defined by said recesses in contactwith similar tongues at the ends of similarly positioned cleats ofadjacent sides of said conspaced from the other tainer to maintain saidadjacent sides adjustably offset from each other in a directionsubstantially transverse to the longitudinal axes of said cleats,oppositely positioned container ends, and means securing said containerends to said container sides, one of said container ends beingsubstantially flush with corresponding ends of opposed groups ofcontainer sides and other container end being substantially flush withone group of opposite ends of the container sides and group for ease inmovement of the crate.

4. A shipping container comprising a pluralit of alternately offsetsides surrounded by flexible Ibinders, each of said sides includinglongitudinally extending cleats and each flush with the end of itsrespective side and each of said cleats having centrally recessed endportions thereon in contact with recessed end portions onthe ends ofsimilarly positioned cleats of adjacent sides of said container tomaintain adjacentsides of the container offset from each other in adirection substantially transverse to the longitudinal axes of saidcleats, and oppositely disposed container end members connected to saidcontainer sides.

5. In a shipping container having a plurality of sides each includingsimilarly positioned longitudinally extending cleats each flush with theend of its respective side, means for maintaining adjacent sides of saidcontainer oifset from each other in a direction substantially transverseto the longitudinal axes of said cleats, said means comprising'spacedtongues positioned at the ends of each of said cleats, at least one ofthe tongues at the ends of each of the cleats of adjacent sides of saidcontainer being in lateral contact with a corresponding tongue on anadjacent cleat throughout at least a portion of the lateral surfaces onsaid tongues, said tongues being spaced to permit reduction in theamount of offset between adjacent sides of said container, and flexiblebinders attached to and laterally encircling the sides of saidcontainer, said binders also being offset at the edges of adjacent sidesto urge the laterally engaging surfaces of said tongues into contactwith each other.

6. In a shipping container having a plurality of substantially verticalsides, each including similarly positioned horizontally extending topand bottom cleats each flush with the end of its respective side, meansfor maintaining adjacent sides of said container vertically offset fromeach other, said means comprising pairs of vertically spaced tongues ateach of the ends of said cleats, each pair of tongues defining aslottherebetween and said tongues being positioned adjacent the upperand lower edges of said cleats, the tongues of the top and bottom cleatsof one set of con tainer sides being positioned below the tongues of thetop and bottom cleats of another set of container sides with the tonguesand slots of said one set of sides being interlocked with those of saidanother set of sides and the surfaces of said interlocked tongues being,at least in part, in contact with each other to maintain adjacentcontainer sides offset vertically from each other, and flexible bindersattached to and surrounding the sides of said container, said bindersurgin said surfaces into interlocked contact with each other.

7. A wire-bound shipping crate comprising a plurality of sidesalternately vertically offset from each other to provide oppo i pairs ofraised and lowered crate sides, each of said sides havi g bottom andintermediate cleats ex-

